| | The theme was right bank Bordeaux 2000 and older if at all possible. Table One - N.V. Montaudon Champagne Brut - France, Champagne
I've never had this producer before, and I found this to be pretty nice overall. Lots of pear and a touch of apple, yeast, and some mineral character. The palate was consistent, lighter style, fresh. 90+pts. (90 pts.)
- N.V. Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Brut - France, Champagne
This bottle was a bit on the warm side and thus lost some energy. In general it seemed consistent with previous recent bottles, yeast, mineral, tree fruit, citrus. A bit clunky tonight. 89pts.
- N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut L.P. - France, Champagne
This was quite good, and in fact better than the last bottle '02 LP I had. Nice apple and pear, attractive yeastiness. The palate shows good minerality, consistent fruit, and a medium plus finish. (91 pts.)
- N.V. Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Millésime Perle Rare - France, Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne
The nose is light, citrus with light floral notes. The palate is a bit sweeter with citrus, average finish. Very quaffable. (88 pts.)
- 2012 J.M. Boillot Montagny 1er Cru Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Montagny 1er Cru
Light gold color. This was showing a dominant minerality with some citrus and oak. The palate is creamy, full, round, minerals, citrus, good finish. Quite good really., with the minerality being the biggest selling point on the nose, but also the palate. (90 pts.)
- 1982 Château d'Issan - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour plus. The nose was particularly appealing on this wine; not quintessential Margaux, but very good nonetheless. Lots of leather, some perfume, red fruits. The palate was fairly consistent but on the austere side, lighter medium bodied, tart, red fruit, wood spice and a somewhat metallic note to the finish. Probably better 10 years ago, but a nice aged Bordeaux; intriguing and still good.Nose exceeds the palate. 89-90pts. (90 pts.)
- 1993 Château Angélus - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Very dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 2 hrs. Well this very good. The nose was beautiful, earthy, leather, perfumed, a bit funky. The palate is medium bodied, funky, earth, cassis, black cherry, good acids, and silky tannins that trail into a medium plus finish. Classic aged elegant Bordeaux. This was my red WOTN. (93 pts.)
- 1994 Château Troplong Mondot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Very dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. Loved the nose right off the bat with its ripe blue fruit, blueberry, vanilla bean, plum, boysenberry, florals, and graphite. The palate can't quite come up to the level of the nose, but while autere is still attractive. There is the blue fruits, some earth, graphite, mint, dill, cassis, and a dusty tannic finish. 91+pts. (91 pts.)
- 1998 Château Troplong Mondot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
This was not right on opening, seeming to be somewhat stewed in character, I was worried about heat damage. Decanting for an hour seemed to open it very marginally, but it still seemed broody and olive like in character. Sadly, after sitting open for another hour plus, the cork taint revealed its ugly head. Very disappointing. (FLAWED)
- 2000 Château Laroque St. Émilion Grand Cru - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Back up bottle. PNP, very dark/purple red color. This could have benefited from 30 minutes of decanting. Nose is earthy, plum, blackberry, deep, mineral. The palate is deep, full bodied, blackberry, plum, black cherry,pencil lead, spice, firm tannins and a fairly long finish. 90+pts. (90 pts.)
- 1998 Château Gombaude-Guillot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Same bottle as Chablis28's. I enjoyed the nose more than the palate, I thought it was very funky, a bit one dimensional, red fruit, a bit floral. The palate was medium bodied, earthy, dusty minerals, black fruit, funk, tannic, medium finish. I liked the nose, but others liked this overall even more than me. (89 pts.)
- 2000 Château Monbousquet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
How's this for crappy luck, both the bottle and the back up bottle were corked. Matt, that just sucks. (FLAWED)
- 1999 La Mondotte - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Licorice, oak, dry forest floor, black fruit. The palate showed a fair bit of wood and some alcohol, black fruits, may improve with time. (89 pts.)
- 2003 Château Smith Haut Lafitte - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
There was an herbal edge to this wine tonight that I found distracting. Herbal, black fruit, tar, . The palate, is herbal, black fruits, full bodied, scorched earth, graphite, medium plus finish. 90+ to 91pts. (91 pts.)
- 2003 Château Pavie - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Very dark/purple red color. Decanted for 3 hours. Drank 1 glass over 2 hours. Probably the most disappointing wine of the evening given its pedigree. I had hoped for much more. This was young, tight, oaky, hot, overripe black fruit. The palate has full body, deep black fruit, good concentration, spicy but currently is shrouded in tannin and oak and suffers from its alcohol. Will 5-10 years soften this and bring forth an attractive wine? Maybe... 90pts(?)
- 1999 Château Rieussec - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Amber color. PNP, drank 1+ glass over 30 minutes. I loved this, Bright nose with orange, orange marmalade, honey, apricot, botrytis. The palate has good body, honey, orange marmalade, tangerine, light apricot jam, lots of acid, rich viscous, and spicy on the lengthy finish (94 pts.)
Table Two - small pours - 2009 Domaine André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Viré-Clessé
Small taste. Sweetish, fresh, slightly tropical. Good. (89 pts.)
- 2009 Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Maybe I'm off base, but it's never a good sign when a bottle comes that comes from the other table is half full or more. This was rather aromatic with distinct cat pee, grapefruit, and citrus. The palate was the same. It seemed over the top for me. I had hoped for more. (87 pts.)
- 2011 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou
Light gold color. Small pour. I found this to be a nice example of Loire SB. There was a nice citrus character, grapefruit, and mineral. The palate was similar tart, with good balance and a medium finish. Very solid and a good QPR. (88 pts.)
- 2000 Château Moulin Saint-Georges - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Small pour, woody, alcohol, black fruit, earthy. Firm. 87+pts. (87 pts.)
- 1995 Château Gazin Pomerol - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Small pour, but a mature, attractive, perfumed, leathery nose and a light consistent palate. Fairly elegant and a wine I would have liked to explore more. 91(+?)pts (91 pts.)
- 2001 Château Les Gravières - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
I only had a small pour of this later in the night, but it really was fascinating. I would have sworn this was a pinot, bright red fruits, berries, ripe, light body, go figure. Enjoyable, but not what I expected.
- 1995 Château La Pointe - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Very tiny pour, the nose intrigued me with cedar, licorice, and earth, but the palate didn't with its funk, wood, and somewhat flat mid palate. (88 pts.)
- 2004 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Small pour. This has some potential, young, full, intense palate, menthol, ripe, black fruit, long. (91 pts.)
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